[Sidenote: _The power of the best._]
[Sidenote: The eye of the soul.]
[Sidenote: The abstract as plain or plainer than the concrete.]
Socrates proceeded:—I thought that as I had failed in the
contemplation of true existence, I ought to be careful that I
did not lose the eye of my soul; as people may injure their
bodily eye by observing and gazing on the sun during an
eclipse, unless they take the precaution of only looking at
the image reflected in the water, or in some similar medium.
So in my own case, I was afraid that my soul might be
blinded altogether if I looked at things with my eyes or tried
to apprehend them by the help of the senses. And I thought
that I had better have recourse to the world of mind and
seek there the truth of existence. I dare say that the simile 100
is not perfect—for I am very far from admitting that he who
contemplates existences through the medium of thought, sees
them only ‘through a glass darkly,’ any more than he who
considers them in action and operation. However, this was
the method which I adopted: I first assumed some principle
which I judged to be the strongest, and then I affirmed as
true whatever seemed to agree with this, whether relating to
the cause or to anything else; and that which disagreed I regarded
as untrue. But I should like to explain my meaning
more clearly, as I do not think that you as yet understand
me.
No indeed, replied Cebes, not very well.
[Sidenote: _The ideas._]
[Sidenote: If the ideas have an absolute existence, the soul is immortal.]
There is nothing new, he said, in what I am about to tell
you; but only what I have been always and everywhere
repeating in the previous discussion and on other occasions:
I want to show you the nature of that cause which has
occupied my thoughts. I shall have to go back to those
familiar words which are in the mouth of every one, and first
of all assume that there is an absolute beauty and goodness
and greatness, and the like; grant me this, and I hope to be
able to show you the nature of the cause, and to prove the
immortality of the soul.
Cebes said: You may proceed at once with the proof, for
I grant you this.
Well, he said, then I should like to know whether you
agree with me in the next step; for I cannot help thinking,
if there be anything beautiful other than absolute beauty
should there be such, that it can be beautiful only in so far
as it partakes of absolute beauty—and I should say the same
of everything. Do you agree in this notion of the cause?
Yes, he said, I agree.
[Sidenote: All things exist by participation in general ideas.]
He proceeded: I know nothing and can understand
nothing of any other of those wise causes which are alleged;
and if a person says to me that the bloom of colour, or form,
or any such thing is a source of beauty, I leave all that,
which is only confusing to me, and simply and singly, and
perhaps foolishly, hold and am assured in my own mind that
nothing makes a thing beautiful but the presence and
participation of beauty in whatever way or manner obtained;
for as to the manner I am uncertain, but I stoutly contend
that by beauty all beautiful things become beautiful. This
appears to me to be the safest answer which I can give,
either to myself or to another, and to this I cling, in the
persuasion that this principle will never be overthrown, and
that to myself or to any one who asks the question, I may safely
reply, That by beauty beautiful things become beautiful. Do
you not agree with me?